Circular-knit multifeed stocking and method of making same



March 18, 1952- |.w. GROTHEY ETAL 7 2,590,008

, CIRCULAR-KNIT MULTIFEED STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April26, 1948 2 SHEE T$SHEET l frzven far-5 ROBERT H. LAWSON 5:5, Zizez'raiiorne ys .IVAN WGROTHEY March 18, 1952 w. GROTHEY EIAL 2,590,008

CIRCULAR-KNIT MULTIFEED STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME/ 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filzad April 26, 1948 PICK DROP-3 Z7 Z0 71. 73 72 71 I0.9 NARROWED SEGMENT Invn'tar's IVAN w. GROTHEY ROBERT H. LAWSON PatentedMar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIIAR -KNITf MULTIFEED'STOCKING AND 'METHOD OF MAKING SAME Ivan'W. .Groth'eysandf Robert H.Lawson, Laconia,.

N. H.,.,assignorscto'scott & Williams; Incorporated, Laconia, N. H'., acorporation of Massai chusetts Application-AprilZfi,1948, Serial No.23,224

14 Claims. 1

This'invention relatesto, a circular-knit; multie to use relativelyheavy yarns in the welt,- heel. and toe, and to use relativelylightyarns. insthe leg and. instep. The difficulty is much increasedwhen it is desired to make reciprocatory knit: ting by multi-feed,Another difiicu1tyinknitting a. heeel or toe. of a circular stocking bymulti-feed reciprocatory knitting. is ,the tendency of thesutures inthelheeland toe to formeyerlets. In stockings made in accordance-withour invention, eyelets ,due to. changes in the number, of feeds havebeen completely eliminated by making the courses in the stockingcontinuous from the welt into the toe. Eyelets in the sutures of' theheel and toe, duetothe multiplicity of j feeds, i. e., multi-courseknitting; have been minimized by the construction hereinafter-"setforth. It is characteristic 'of our invention, as

far as concerns the eyelets" in "the suturesizofithe heel and toe, thatthe sutures are-"multi' feed, single-sided sutures. Other featuresminimiz ing the-size of these-eyelets are'set'forth in-the followingdescription and claims.

Our invention willflbe shownembodied in'a,

two-feed, circular-knit stocking-inwhich a twocourse' spiral is used inthe rotary-knit parts of the stocking, and in thereciprocatorily-knitheel" and toe pockets there are twocourses in each group knitsimultaneously-in the same di rection.

In the drawings:

Figured is'the outline of a complete circulars knit stocking such asourinventiomrelatesjto; showing typical yarn: changes;

Figure 2 is a'view von-an enIargedscaIe-of'the'- footof the stocking ofl'ig. 1, showing-the-uninterruptedcharacterof the multi-feed courses:

in the root andtoe;

Figures3iis ;a diagrammatic showing of the in:-

terlooping; of the yarns impart of agheellorttoe:

pocketmade 5 in: accordance; with; our, invention. 1

the number, of walesand; courses shown-1 bein s illustrative-and nottypical;

A- cil'cularrknit' stocking; knit multhfeed: is: shown in'Fig; 1,such-as cangbe produced accord-e However, if the: leg isknit.

2 ing toour invention. It has a welt l, a leg}, a heel 3, foot 4 withinstep 5 and toe16. As: indicated in this figure, the yarn or yarnsused; inknitting the welt I, heel 3 and toe 6 are relatively. heavierthan the yarn or yarnsusedi the leg 2 andinstep5. The sole sideofthefoot 4 is sometimes made of heavier yarn and some-- times lighteryarn. hosiery, changes of yarn are essential when knit-- tingmulti-feed.

In Fig.2 we have givenan example of the'fact; thataccording to the firstfeature of our inventioniallthe courses inxone part of the stocking:

continueuninterrupted into the next part. We;

have shown a two-course, rotary-knit spiral" in thefootA consisting ofyarns 1 and .8, the courses continuing uninterrupted into. thereciprocam torily-knit toe 6. Weltl into theleg. 2, and the leg 2 intothe heel3i.

Another source of eyeletsis thestitch forma-. tion at the sutures. Whilesome elementary; formsof sutures such as a .plain.1 X 1 double-..

sided suture .between the'narrowed and widened segments of a .plainheelor toe do not have any eyelets along-their length, there are many otherr forms ofsutures which do have eyelets. We have.-

discovered that although a plain narrowed and;

widened heel when knit multi-feed produces large; eyelets, it ispossible to minimize those:

eyelets :greatly by the construction'which we will.

describe. We have found that it is now possibleto. produce aistockingwith yarn changes in it" and which multi-feed throughout, .yet will besubstantiallyfreeof eyelets. Accordingto ourv invention, the: eyelets,due to. discontinuity of coursesahave. been eliminated entirely from thestocking, and the eyelets in thesutureshave been minimized.

It should. be noted. that when aheelor toe every course onone side ofthe suture is directly: connected to av course on the other side; Thisis true whether. the single-feed suture is singlesided .ordouble-sided;In other words, whether a sutureois formedby the tapered edge 'ofasinglen reciprocatorily=-knit: segment and a continuous:

course: ofv stitches, orlof two tapered reciprocal torilyrknit.segmentzedges, every.. reciprocatorilys knit course will be directlyinterknit withtliefabric '.on;the other side of the suture as -long asa.thereciprocatoiy segment or: segments are knlt i singlevfeed; In,a-stockin knitidouble or triple-'- feed,. the suture works outdifferently.

nzmultr-fe'ed knitting, when it 'is attempted:

t knit narrowed and widened segmentsato form a heel' pocket,,theuresulting, doubleesidedi' suture:

has;;larg e; eyelets init; We have discoveredithat:

, these eyelets can-.beavoided byplacingganumber' In modernfine-gauge...

The same may be true of:the.

pocketv issmade single-feed, the. end stitch in J of continuous coursesof stitches, i. e., a gusset between the narrowed and widened segmentsthereby splitting the usual double suture into twp singled-sidedsutures. In the resulting structure, of which the preferred embodimentis shown in Fig. 3, not only are the eyelets minimized along the suture,but the suture is strengthened by certain tie-across stitcheshereinafter described. The shape of the resulting heel or toe pocket maybe substantially the same as if the gusset had' not been insertedbetween the narrowed and widened segments. This construction can be usedin the heel pocket or toe pocket, or both. In Fig. 3 we have embodiedthis novel form of pocket in the toe in the form of gusset shown in theU. S reissue patent to John M. Allen No. 17,958, dated Feb. 10, 1931;and in the heel we have shown the invention embodied in the form of heelshown in the Harry N. Sheppard U. S. Patent No. 2,338,649,dated'November 6, 1945.

While in Fig. 3 we have shown the simpler form of gusset-embodied in thetoe shown in Fig. 2, it should be understood that the form shown in Fig.3 can be used equally well in the heel pocket if desired. Theconstruction shown in Fig. 3 comprises three basic elements in additionto the sutures. These are a narrowed segment knit first, a gusset orparallel-sided element joined to atapered edge of the narrowed segmentby a single-sided suture and finally a widened segment joined to theother edge of the gusset by a single-sided suture.

We will next describe the general manner or sequence in-which thisfabric is produced, beginning" at theright of the'figure with thenarrowed segment where the word Start will be found on the drawing. Asalready mentioned, the embodiment of our invention shown in this figureis knit'attwo feeds so that two courses are being knit-simultaneously.The stitches of courses 9 and I indicated at the start of the narrowedsegment are knit from right to left when the sheet is held in ahorizontal position. The stitches of courses I l and I2 as they appearin the drawings are knit from left to right so that the last stitches tobe knit'are those in the wale'at the extreme rightA-namely, thewale'marked ll. As the needles then start moving 'in the otherdirection, the first two needles, namely; those knitting-wales l1 andI8, are raised or picked up out of action so that they do not knit incourses l3 and I4; raisedout of action simultaneously and have the endsof-the yarns coming from the two throat plates attached to them. Theyarns will float across in front of the needles which knit wales l1, and18, forming crossedfioats or tie-across yarns I5 and [6 which are knitinto successive stitches by the needle knitting the adjacent wale 19.;-'f It will he noted that the set'of loops or stitches marked X formed inthe wale [1 about the time that'the needle of wale'll and the needle-ofwale [8 are raised out of action, project toward .thezsuture lyingbetween the narrowed" segment and the gusset further "than the stitchesin wale l8. The last'loop ofthis set of stitches X remains on the needlein the wale 17; It will be noted also that in wale [9 two courses, whichcan be considered as forming a group, are terminated so that in wale [8there are'at least two stitches less than in wale l9 at this end of thecourses. The stitch in wale I8 formed at the same time as the laststitch in wale l1 remains on the needle intwale It. The machine nowknits courses 20 and 2!, and the cycle repeats itself. When the However,the two needles have been last wale 22 at the left is the wale on theend active needle, the narrowed segment may, for purposes ofillustration, be considered as completed, though it should be understoodthat the number of wales and courses is not typical.

The gusset is then knit by throwing back into action the desired idledneedles including the needle for Wale IT. The needles knit the firstcontinuous course 23 of the gusset and the stitches put on the needlesin the narrowing, including the tie-across stitches I5, it, are shed offthe needles. The'machine knits over and back, which completes fourcourses. This is merely illustrative, as the gusset would normally have,say, nine oscillations for a total of eighteen courses. The ends of thegusset would normally be tapered. Approximately the same number ofneedles that were thrown into action at the beginning of thegussetare'thrown out again when the gusset is completed. The machine,continuing to reciprocate, will pick up one needle at the end of eachreciprocation and a dropper will put three needles back into action,giving a net increase of two. The throwing back into action of the aboveneedle which was raised out of action sheds the short tie-across yarns24, 25 shown in the widened segment and leaves the set of stitches Y ofthat segment in the position shown in the drawing. It will be observedthat with this construction there is direct continuity of the set ofstitches in every wale extending from the narrowed segment through thegussetand into the widened segment. Whilein the construction shown, thecourses of the narrowed and widened segments are not staggered or offsetwith relation to each other, as a 'practical matter it may be desirableto offset the courses in these two segments so that the set of stitchesdo not fall into line. The reason for. this is that in the toe thesegment must taper down near the looping and this will give a doubleesided suture. at this point. This putting of the ends of the courses instepped relation is important when a double-sided suture is being made,because .this tends to minimize the eyelets. Wherever a gusset isinterposed between the narrowed and widened segments it makes nodifference whether or not the courses in the narrowed and widenedsegments are offset. 7

With-this construction eyelets are substantially eliminated and thetie-across yarns provide a substantial increase in strength at thesutures.

We claim:

1. YA circular-knit stockin knit q multi-feed throughout having a turnedwelt, leg, heel, foot and toe, characterizedin that the welt, heel andtoe are knit of relatively heavy yarn or yarns and the leg and instepofthe foot of relatively light yarn or yarns, in combination with the factthat the stocking is knit with the same.

foot being knit in a two-course spiralwith the" welt of heavier yarn oryarnsthan the leg, and the heel and toe being knit in two-coursereciprocation of heavier yarnor yarns than the instep of the foot,characterized in that the two-course spiral and two-course reciprocatoryknitting maintain complete continuity of all the courses from the weltto the toe, whereby eyelets due to increase or decrease in the number offeeds are eliminated.

3. A, circular-knit stocking with a welt and knit multi-feed throughoutin which the courses are all continuous from the welt into the toe,characterized by the provision of at least two single-sided sutures inthe heel and toe, whereby eyelets at the suture are minimized.

4. In a circular-knit stocking knit multi-feed throughout with thecourses all continuous from the welt into the toe, the provision of oneor more pockets having one or more single-sided sutures, whereby eyeletsat the suture are minimized.

5. A circular-knit stocking knit multi-feed throughout with the coursesall continuous from the welt into the toe, having one or more pockets inwhich there is a tapered segment in combination with a gusset and asuture between the segment and gusset, the segment being formed ofgroups of courses successively knit in opposite directions with the endsof the groups of courses at the suture in stepped relation, there beinga continuous course of stitches forming the edge of the gusset at thesuture, whereby eyelets due to the multi-feed construction areminimized.

6. A circular-knit stocking having a narrowed and widened pocket inwhich there are two tapered segments, a gusset therebetween and asingle-sided suture between the gusset and each segment, each segmentbeing formed of groups of courses successively knit in oppositedirections with the ends of the groups of courses at the suture instepped relation, each edge of the gusset at a suture being a continuouscourse of stitches, whereby eyelets due to the multifeed constructionare minimized.

7. A circular-knit stocking knit multi-feed throughout having a narrowedand widened pocket in which there are two tapered segments, a gussettherebetween and a single-sided suture between the gusset and eachsegment, each segment being formed of groups of courses successivelyknit in opposite directions with the ends of the groups of courses atthe suture in stepped relation, each edge of the gusset at a suturebeing a continuous course of stitches, whereby eyelets due to themulti-feed construction are minimized.

8. A circular-knit stocking in accordance with claim 7 characterized inthat on the tapered side of each suture the yarns from the dii'r'er entfeeds float across each other in passing from wale to wale as well ascourse to course, whereby the fabric is tied together and strengthenedat the suture, minimizing eyelets.

9. A circular-knit stocking in accordance with claim 7 characterized inthat on the segment side of each sature the yarns from the differentfeeds float across each other in passing from one wale to another walespaced therefrom as well as in passing from course to course, wherebythe fabric is tied together and strengthened at the suture, minimizingeyelets.

10. A circular-knit stocking knit multi-feed throughout, having narrowedland widened heel and toe pockets in which there are two taperedsegments, a gusset therebetween and a singlesided suture between thegusset and each segment, each segment being formed of groups of coursessuccessively knit in opposite directions with the ends of the groups ofcourses at the suture in stepped relation, each edge of the gusset at asuture being a continuous course of stitches, whereby continuity of allcourse-connected wales is maintained from the narrowed to the widenedsegments and eyelets are minimized.

11. A circular-knit stocking having heel and toe pockets knit multi-feedthroughout, there being in one or more pockets at least a taperedsegment and a gusset with a suture between the segment and gusset,characterized in that the suture edge of the gusset is a continuouscourse and that at the suture edge of the segment the ends of alternatecourses are knit to the intervening courses in combination with the endsof the intervening courses being locked to the alternate courses bytie-across floats, thereby producing a multi-feed suture of superiorstrength with minimized eyelets.

12. A circular-knit stocking having heel and toe pockets knit two-feedthroughout with at least a tapered segment, a gusset and a suture ineach pocket, the suture being located between the segment and gusset,characterized in that the edge of the gusset at the suture is acontinuous course and in the suture edge of the segment a multiplicityof ends of courses in stepped relation are present, the ends ofalternate courses being knit to the intervening courses, in combinationwith tie across floats from both feeds locking spaced wales together,whereby a twofeed suture with minimized eyelets and superior strength isformed.

13. In a method of making a circular-knit stocking by multi-feedknitting, the steps of knitting a leg or foot by a multi-feed spiral,continuing those feeds uninterrupted into the reciprocatory knitting ofa pocket, knitting the pocket by multi-feed reciprocatory knittingincluding narrowing a segment by picking needles out of action aplurality at a time, and then throwing all the idled needles back intoaction simultaneously so as to knit a continuous course, whereby amulti-feed single-sided suture is formed in which eyelets due to themulti-feed construction are minimized.

14. In a method according to the preceding claim, the step duringreciprocatory knitting of the pocket, of simultaneously throwing amultiplicity of needles out of action which were the last needles toknit in one direction of movement, and then moving them in the otherdirection of movement as idled needles while knitting on the adjacentneedles, whereby tie-across floats of yarn from each of the feeds arecreated crossing each other, locking together different wales, whereby amulti-feed suture of superior strength is made.

IVAN W. GROTHEY. ROBERT H. LAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re.17,958 Allen Feb. 10, 1931862,575 Mettler Aug. 6, 1907 1,843,086 Lawson Jan. 26, 1932 2,388,649Sheppard Nov. 6, 1945 2,396,166 Faucette Mar. 5, 1946 2,440,280 LawsonApr. 27, 1948 2,500,337 Berg Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 258,600 Great Britain Oct. 2'7, 1927

